Towards the End of May

Judging by some of the comments I have received I may have given the impression that our garden is quite huge, and that is wrong.  I would like a much bigger garden and look on in envy at the gardens of some other bloggers.  It is the largest garden I have ever owned, our first was barely a courtyard and I can remember a relative described it as pocket hankie :-)  But that tiny patch was a start.

When we moved here, approx 20 years ago, the garden was beautifully laid out with a manicured lawn and circular rose beds.  Unfortunately it was not very child friendly.   Two young sons on bicycles and scooters quickly destroyed the fine grass and the thorns on the roses didn't do the boys a lot of good either.  To the dismay of some of our elderly neighbours the garden was transformed, the greenhouse was removed (for obvious safety reasons!), the garden became a cycle track with climbing frames and sand pits, and later, a tiny football pitch with a goal post at one end.
 We did edge the garden with tall shrubs like buddleas and we began to introduce the fruit trees, but it remained a playground until bicycles were replaced with mega drive systems and computer games.   At this point we reclaimed the garden :-) but I don't regret a single day of it.   I really believe your garden should suit your needs.
It has taken years to achieve the planting we have and I still consider it a work in progress. There are always things I want to change :-) But it was never an instant garden and my advice to anyone would be 'be patient', see what works for you and be prepared for things to go wrong.

We have had some beautiful weather this month.  We are able to sit as well as work in the garden :-).

The downside of such heat at this time of year, of course, is that it finishes off many of the spring plants like the bluebells and forget me nots, when I wish they had lasted a little longer.

The upside is that the garden can move on to the next phase and everything seems to be taking off with little damage from frost.

Rhododendrons

Comfrey

Peony & Lady's Mantle

Aquilegia

Yellow Day Lilies

Clematis

London Pride & Geraniums

This year's new growth on our Christmas Tree

We always refer to this as a fried egg plant :-)

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And when things go wrong!

This is the second dead frog we have found this week.  Both were found facing towards our pond so does that mean they were trying to get to water?

 It's heartbreaking. 

This is the year of biodiversity!